Illuminating tiling foe vaults



(No Model.)

0.. H. ROSS.

ILLUMINATING TILING FOR VA'ULTS, &c. 7 No. 270,132. Patented Jan.2, 1883.

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UNITED STATES (J. HANSEN ROSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'l() L. OTIS DAUUHY, OF SAME PLACE.

ILLUMINATING-TILING FOR VAULTS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,132, dated January 2, 1883,

Application filed August 12, 1882.

(X0 model.)

one ofthe lens-openings; Fig. 3, a similar' section taken on the line X X, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, an elevation of my improved lens detached; Fig. 5, a similar view, showing a modification in the form of the lens; and Fig. 6, a detail section, showing asection of frame and single lens of old construction,

My invention relates to the form of thelens,

whereby a greater quantity of light is permit ted to pass below the frame than with the usual form, and the light below the tiling is also more generally diffused; and it also relates to the fastening device by means of which the lens is secured to the frame.

I will proceed to describe in detail the construction and application of my invention, and will then point out definitelyin the claims the special improvements which I believe to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent.

Illuminating-tiling consisting of a suitable frame with glass lenses inserted in openings therein is old; but heretofore the glass lenses have been constructed and arranged to rest upon a seat in the opening of the frame, the lens being inserted from the top of the latter. An illustration of this construction is shown in Fig.6 of the drawings. Obviously the projecting seat will prevent many rays of light which fall upon the surface of the lens from passing below the frame; and it is also obvious that the lens is not very securely held in the frame, being entirely dependent upon the ocment in the annular cavity between it and the framein thelens-openin g. Ithasbeen proposed to remedy the latter of these disadvantages by forming the glass with a screw-thread to fit a corresponding thread on the concave surface of the opening in the frame, the glass being also provided with a laterally-projecting flange below the frame, and a packing being inserted between this flange and the under side of the frame,- but the experiment of using a glass cylinder as a screw has not proved practically successful, and the reliance for holding the glass in the frame must still be mainly on the cement, for which, moreover, this construction does not provide so secure a lodgment as the older form shown in Fig. (i of the drawings. With a view, therefore, to remedy effectually both the disadvantages which I have named, I have devised a mode of fastening which secures the lens in the frame independently of cement, (though the latter is still used for the purpose of making the tiling water-tight,) and at the same time admits of extending the lens below the frame for the purpose of a greater diffusion of light in the vault.

In the drawings, A represents the frame, of any suitable material, metal being preferred, which is provided with openings B, of the usual circular form, for the reception of the lenses, the openings being preferably slightly flaring.

A seat, I), is provided near the bottom of the opening, as usual, for the lens; but this seat is polygonal in contour instead of being circular, like the opening above it, and the opening down through the frame below the seat is of corresponding form. The straight sides of the seat extend across from side to side of the opening, being cut in even with the main opening above, as shown in full lines at cu in Fig. l of the drawings. The upper face of each of the seats I) is inclined, each incline Z) repre senting substantially the section of a screwthread, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The glass lens 0 is provided with a flange, 0, extending around its body and polygonal in shape to correspond with the polygonal section at the bottom of the opening. The main body of the lens extends below this flange a distance equal to the depth of the seat in the opening, and is then broadened below the frame, making a section, 0, considerably wider than the opening in the frame. This section may be made in any form desired. In Fig. 4 it is oval; in Fig. 5 it is represented of conical form. 1t

may also be given a wedge shape or any other form desired. In all cases, however, it is broadened at the base so as to be wider than the opening in the frame. It will be seen at once that this lens must be inserted in the frame from the bottom. This is accomplished by holding the lens so that its flange will conform to the polygonal section of the opening. and then thrusting the main body up through the opening. The flange will pass up through above the seat, and then by giving the lens a slight turn in the proper direction the corner of the flange will be brought over the wider portion of the inclined seats, and. at the same time, being forced up the inclines, will draw the lower section of the lens up tightly against the bottom of the frame, thus securely fastening the lens in place. The position of the lens when thus secured in the frame will be seen at a in Fig. 1 of the drawings, in which the full lines represent the seat and the dotted lines the flange of the lens when turned upon the inclines to fasten it in place.

It will be seen that there is space for the seat between the flange on the lens and the broadened section below, this space being like a circular groove running around the lens. The space between the bodyot' the lens and the sides of the opening is tilled with cement, as usual, so as to make a water-tightjoint.

Obviously more rays of light will pass down below the frame with a lens of the construction described above than in the old form, as represented in Fig. 6, for the lens there stops at the seat, and some rays of light will be obstructed by the portion below the restingpoint of the lens.

\Vith my improvement it is obvious that as the lens continues down through the opening, as shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, the refraction ofthe light will continue through the opening, and so more light will pass below the frame than in the old form. It is also obvious that the enlargement of the lens below the frame provides for a continuation of the refraction of the rays of light and a better diffusion of these rays in the space below the frame.

In addition to the advantages named above,

the tiling made under my improvement is much more durable, for the reason that the lens is fastened in the frame securely, without dependence upon the cement alone. In the old construction shown in Fig. 6 the lens D sets loosely upon its seat a in the frame E. and is held in place only by the cement F, surrounding it. A blow from below will readily loosen this lens; but this defect is entirely remedied in my improvement, for it is obvious that the lens cannot be loosened without breakage, as it is fastened in the frame without any cement, so that it can be moved neither up nor down, and is held from turning by the cement after- Ward put in.

I do not limit my improvement to any special form of the lens projection below the frame, nor to any particular number of sides for the flanges, as these are details of construction which may be varied without departing from the principle of my invention; and the enlargementof the lens below the frame may be employed with some other fastening device, though the one herein shown and described is especially adapted to this purpose, and this fastening may in some instances be used without inclined faces.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In illuminating-tiling. the frame A, provided with openings B, with polygonal seats I), in combination, with the lens 0, provided with polygonal flanges 0, and a section, 0, below the frame broader than the opening therein, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The polygonal seats I) in the openings of the tiling-frame, having inclines b on their upper faces, in combination with a lens, 0, provided with a polygonal flange, c, and a section, 0, below the frame broader than the opening therein, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

0. HANSEN ROSS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE K. DAUOHY, F. GEBHARD. 

